Dr. Joel Wong
He studied film at Berkeley, pivoted to dentistry, trained in Brooklyn, and landed in San Diego with a plan to build something lasting.
He grew up in a house with 30 cousins. Kids are his element.
Dr. Joel Wong grew up in Sacramento in a large, multi-generational family with nearly 30 cousins spanning 40 years in age. From a very early age he was the one directing summer camp activities, tutoring, and leading recreational programs for kids. Working with children has never felt like an acquired skill for him — it's just what he does.
He earned a BA in Film Studies from UC Berkeley and decided post-graduation to pivot into dentistry. After graduating from the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine in 2018, pediatric dentistry felt like an obvious path to apply his skill sets. He earned his pediatric specialty certification at NYU affiliate Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, New York — a high-volume program with significant patient complexity.
He moved to San Diego with his wife Debbie with plans to put down roots and build something lasting in the community. He aims to provide quality, friendly care that improves lives — one visit at a time.
Dr. Wong loves diving, fishing, cooking, and backpacking — a combination that suggests he is either very adventurous or perpetually hungry. Probably both. His patients love him either way.
Berkeley. UNLV. NYU Brooklyn. Now San Diego.
- ✓ American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
- ✓ American Dental Association
- ✓ San Diego Community
Quality care. Friendly visits. Families that actually come back.
"Dr. Joel is exactly what a pediatric dentist should be — warm, patient, and genuinely good with kids. My son usually dreads appointments. He left this one asking if he could come back next week."
"We're new to San Diego and found Dr. Wong through a recommendation. So glad we did. He made our daughter feel so comfortable and explained her treatment plan in a way that made complete sense to us."
"Dr. Wong is a gem. Funny, knowledgeable, and great with nervous kids. Our family is sticking with him for the long haul."
New patients welcome. No scary waiting rooms. Promise.
Dr. Joel sees patients across all five Coastal Kids locations. Book online in 60 seconds or give us a call.